CPU threads

In the context of CPUs, threads refer to the highest level of code that the processor can execute.

The more threads that a CPU has, therefore, the more tasks that it will be able to handle at the same time, resulting in faster performance and better multitasking.

It’s important to understand that when comparing CPUs, you’ll often see the terms core and thread thrown in together. Cores are the CPU’s actual hardware component, whereas threads are virtual components that carry out tasks. Essentially, the processor is breaking up the physical cores into virtual cores, which are threads, to increase performance.

Currently, the average number of CPU threads for processors is about 13, but AMD produces CPUs such as the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X with 128 threads. By comparison, the next top-performing brand would be Intel with its Intel Core i9-10900K, which has 20 CPU threads.